This unique study pioneers a comparative analysis between two major jihadist entities, the Taliban and the Islamic State, focusing on their state-building endeavors. It highlights the Taliban's historical state-building efforts in the 1990s, as a model for understanding similar initiatives by jihadist groups such as the Islamic State. Departing from existing literature that often examines individual jihadist groups in isolation, this study adopts a comparative approach, offering unique insights into the broader phenomenon of jihadist groups and their attempts at state-making.Through detailed examinations of the Taliban and the Islamic State in Afghanistan and elsewhere, and the impacts of other regional actors, the study sheds light on the resurgence of these movements, even after apparent decline, as witnessed with the resurgence of the Taliban. The book will be an invaluable reference for researchers, scholars, politicians, and diplomats, concerned with the region, and with the aspirations of terror groups to engage in state-building.
